1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intermediate transfer member and an image recording method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method in which an ink is applied to an intermediate transfer member to form an intermediate image and then this intermediate image is transferred to a recording medium to record an image (also referred to as “an intermediate transfer type image recording method”) is known. In recent years, such an intermediate transfer type image recording method that an image of high-level quality is obtained even at a high transfer speed has been studied with the high demand for high-speed recording (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-182064, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-268802 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-370442).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-182064 describes an image recording method using an intermediate transfer member having a rubber layer formed on a substrate composed of a metal drum and an outer layer formed on the rubber layer. A material selected from polyurethane, a fluorinated elastomeric material, fluorinated rubber and silicone rubber is described as a material of the rubber layer. A material selected from sol-gel, ceramers and polyurethane is described as a material of the outer layer.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-268802 describes that an amount of a reaction liquid applied per unit area is controlled to an amount of an ink applied per unit area or more, whereby good image quality can be achieved even when the reaction liquid is dried to cause a sink mark.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-370442 describes that the surface roughness Ra of the surface of the intermediate transfer member is controlled to 0.2 μm or more and 2.5 μm or less, whereby image quality and transferability can be improved.